Update on the Stabyhoun

I am happy to say that I now stand corrected. There are still at least one or two kennels doing their best to produce Staby's for the field. The owner of one of them, Klass Zonnebeld from Nijverdal in the Netherlands, sent me some very nice photos of Stabyhouns in the field to prove it.

Here's a Staby showing off its good looks!

And ere's a Staby making a retrieve.

Klass and his
wife Esther breed Staby's under the kennel name Fan it Heidehiem. They are among the very few folks in the world breeding Staby's for hunting.

Several
years and nests (litters) further, we can say that our kennel breeds
healthy dogs with passion for hunting. We think beauty is less important
than fine characters, although we do not want to lose the typical
qualities that belong to our breed. We love the older Stabij type that
is not too big and is able to hunt all day. The body needs to be
athletic and in good proportions with good movements.

A
Fan it Heidehiem dog is first and foremost bred to have great working
potential. We are not producing show dogs but a Stabij that has the
health, temperament and movement to prove himself a worthy companion in
the field. I enjoy seeing a dog is in his element – using his natural
hunting instincts and willingness to do a good day’s work. These are the
qualities I value highest in a dog. If a judge also likes the look of
them then that is a bonus.

Klass and Esther offer some fascinating details on the history of the breed and how it was used to capture moles and polecats.

The
Stabij was the dog for the poor man they called him Bijke and if the
owner had a farm it was a farm dog, but if the owner was a hunter, it
was a hunting dog. This is also why these poor people were breeding the
dogs. If they needed a stronger dog, they just find a combination with a
bigger and stronger breed. But if they needed a special hunting dog,
the combination with a hunter-breed was made. The early 20th century
were crisis years and everybody was poor.

In Friesland they did a
lot of mole catching and for this kind of hunting they needed a smaller
dog so the Stabij was crossed with a smaller breed. In 1904 the Stabij
was often sold for 15,- gulden which is about €7,= but in 1918 a good
mole catcher was worth a fortune - between f.50,- and f.100,- (€ 25,= –
50,= ) In those days, that was the main reason to breed these dogs.

There were two ways to catch a mole.

1) The Stabij tracked down a fresh mole-hill and stood still and waited
for his boss. Together they waited until the mole started to dig. The
trick now was to wait and just before the mole was on the highest
point, put a shovel under the mole and lift it up. The dog would then
catch the mole and shake it until it died and then gave it to his boss.

2) The second method was when the Stabij caught the mole itself out of a
tunnel by digging it out. But it could only get the young and small ones
which are not worth much money.

When
a farmer just wants to keep his land ´mole- free´, the second option
was ok. But when it was to catch a mole for the skin, the first option
was better. The mole was cut open and the skin was spread out on some
wood and put to dry. When they were dry they could be sold for cloth
etc.

Today, unfortunately the
Stabij as a hunter is not used so much anymore, and other specialized
dogs from outside Holland took this place. Maybe this is because the
Stabij is to much of an all-rounder, he can do a little of everything.
But still as a mole and a polecat-catcher he is still very valued.

For more information on the breed and more great photos of Stabyhouns, check out Klass and Esther's website: http://www.fanitheidehiem.nl/en/

The Ameri-Can Stabyhoun Association has been importing and breeding here in North America since 2004. We are very keen on building this breed's original aspects as a hunter, watchdog, mole catcher, and companion. Although most owners currently do not use the dog in the field, our Association has started actively looking for homes to train and work with their Stabys in the field, barn hunts, and upland bird hunting. The Staby needs maturity and positive consistent training to become reliable in the field. They have natural pointing ability seen even in the average pet, while they are often reluctant retrievers needing patient reinforcement by their trainer/owners. Once trained, the Staby is a true pal on the field and behind the blinds.

Check out our website and help us to bring out the talents in this amazing breed.

I have had an English Setter, and two English Springer Spaniels for upland bird hunting in the past, and currently have a Stabyhoun female 8 mos. old: so far I've seen wonderful soft-mouth retrieving (she LOVES retrieving in the water) and she has an instinctive interest in birds, as well as the ability to blind retrieve and do good work quartering. She has potential for pointer training - she can hold quite nicely.